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Residents of Myiliddy have voiced deep concern that they may once again be prevented from conducting the annual feast at the historic Kaanikkai Maatha Church, as the Sri Lankan military continues to delay granting permission for worship at the site.
Local residents say the ongoing obstruction has intensified fears that this year’s festival may also be rendered impossible. The church and its surrounding lands remain under military control, despite repeated appeals for their release.
The area was declared a High Security Zone following the displacement of Tamil residents during the height of the armed conflict in 1990. For the past 36 years, the locality has remained under the control of the Sri Lankan armed forces. Displaced residents have persistently called for the restoration of their lands, including the church premises, yet no substantive progress has been achieved.
Residents state that representations have been made to several authorities requesting that at least a portion of the church land be released to facilitate the observance of this year’s Kaanikkai Maatha feast within the church grounds. Appeals have been addressed to the Sri Lankan President, the Minister of Fisheries, the Governor of the Northern Province, Members of Parliament representing the National People’s Power, and the Army Commander. However, they report that no favourable response has thus far been received.
They underscored the historical and spiritual importance of the site, noting that the Myiliddy Punitha Kaanikkai Maatha Church, also known as the Church of Our Lady of Presentation, is an ancient Catholic shrine established prior to 1850. Historically, the church complex encompassed approximately 52 acres of land, including the Myiliddy Roman Catholic school, a convent, the parish priest’s residence and administrative office, as well as garden lands belonging to the church.
Geographically, the village of Myiliddy lies along the coastline, extending approximately 300 to 500 metres from north to south of the Paruthithurai–Ponnalai road towards the seafront. Residents emphasise that even the release of a portion of the church land would enable them to erect a place of worship and collectively participate in Holy Mass.
“Even if action is taken to release at least a portion of our church land, we will build a church and, together as a community, participate in Holy Mass and quench our spiritual thirst. Please release our church land.”
Residents added that appeals have also been submitted to the Bishop of Jaffna, the Archbishop of Colombo, the Ministry of Defence, the Minister of Fisheries, Members of Parliament representing Jaffna, the Governor of the Northern Province, the District Secretary, the Divisional Secretary, all Christian organisations, the Presidential Secretariat, and military authorities. Despite these continued representations, they report that no positive response has been forthcoming.
The continued denial of access to Myiliddy’s church lands comes amid the wider, decades-long military occupation of large swathes of the Tamil homeland. Nearly seventeen years after the end of the armed conflict, extensive areas in Valikamam North and surrounding regions remain designated as High Security Zones, with private lands, places of worship and community institutions still held by the Sri Lankan military.
Tamil residents and civil society organisations have long warned that this entrenched militarisation not only obstructs resettlement and livelihoods, but also interferes with religious and cultural life, reinforcing the ongoing control of the Sinhala-dominated state over the Tamil homeland.
